Deepak Gyawali, Butwal, June 22: As Kapilvastu and Banke districts of Province 5  are situated along the Nepal-India border, the number of people travelling to India in search of employment opportunities from these districts is higher compared to other districts in the country.

After the nationwide lockdown was announced in both the countries, number of people returning from India increased massively. As a result, proper management of the returnees in quarantines was an uphill battle for the local levels which led to the increase in the COVID-19 tally of Province 5.

However, by increasing swab testing, contact tracing, availability of substantive needs, border management and providing proper treatment to the infected people by the health workers and respective local bodies, the Province 5 was able to control COVID-19 spread.

Measures taken by Kapilvastu

The rise in positive cases and returnees from India had created a havoc in Kapilvastu since May 4, making the region a district of COVID-19 spread.  Out of 703 positive cases detected in the district, currently only 483 are receiving treatment. The others have already recovered from the virus.

Dirgha Narayan Poudel, Chief District Officer (CDO) of Kapilvastu, said, “This district will win over COVID-19 very soon”.

The availability of quarantine and isolation facilities, rapid PCR testing, healthy diets for COVID-19 patients were the major reasons behind controlling the virus spread, added CDO Poudel.  

Janu Pandey, a journalist, who was also detected with COVID-19 infection said that she had received a good treatment in isolation. We were given healthy diets and were told to exercise regularly to boost our immune system, she said.

Banke’s Narainapur under control in a month’s span

Likewise, Narainapur of Bake, which was also a hotspot of the novel coronavirus along with death of a youth, is now free from virus infection after discharge of all 118 COVID-19 patients who were receiving treatment in isolation.

The spread of the virus since first week of May was controlled in a month’s span. After detection of positive cases of virus infection, the area was announced as prohibited zone, along with this, PCR testing, contact tracing were accelarated, which enabled Narainapur to curb the virus spread.

With Narainapur, the whole Banke district is on the verge of being free from COVID-19 spread.

The State Ministry of Social Development informed that out of total 342 infected, 192 people have returned home after recovering from the virus.

In addition, there is a case of safe delivery of a child by a COVID-19 infected mother.

Dr Umashankar Chaudhary, Chief of Health Service Division under State Ministry of Social Development said that 933 people out of 2,437 infected in State 5 had returned home after recovering from the virus infection. “40 per cent of total COVID-19 patients of the State have recovered from COVID-19. The remaining are awaiting their re-test results, whilst 10 people succumbed to the virus,” he added.

Despite the open border, the journey of winning over the deadly COVID-19 was incredible, said State Minister for Social Development, Surdashan Baral.

To minimize the risk of spread, only check points were open in the region, he added.

Despite the shortage of testing kits, proper quarantine facilities, corona specialised hospitals, establishment of laboratories before the detection of virus were our weapons in combating the virus, said Baral.

In State 5, there are four Corona special hospitals and 99 isolation centers, with capacity of 69,628 beds.

23,040 people are living in different quarantine centers in the region, where, 1,350 people are receiving treatment in isolation wards.